Joey Da’rrell Cloudy is a writer whose poetry and short stories have been published by Dance Macabre, Tom Cat Press, Mad Swirl, Fat Fizz and DeJour. He has read and hosted numerous readings, is co-publisher of the literary journal “Death List 5” and taught creative writing workshops through with Writers In The Schools. He is the author of ‘Howl 18 poems for Allen Ginsberg’, the forthcoming ‘Watermelons, White Women and Cadillac’s’, ‘It’s Complicated’, and ‘Party In My Mouth’. ‘Tramp’ is the title of the first novel completed by the poet. He currently lives to writes in Dallas, Texas.

5803 E. Northwest Highway
Eileen Myles is the author of nineteen books including I Must Be Living Twice: New & Selected Poems, and a reissue of Chelsea Girls, both out in fall 2015, from Ecco/Harper Collins. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in non-fiction, an Andy Warhol/Creative Capital art writers’ grant, a Lambda Book Award, the Shelley Prize from The Poetry Society of America, as well as being named to the Slate/Whiting Second Novel List. Currently she teaches at NYU and Naropa University and lives in Marfa TX and New York.

MARILYN CLARK, is the Education and Outreach Coordinator of the South Dallas Cultural Center with 30 years of A long time South Dallas resident and one of its most outspoken advocates, Ms. Clark brings years of experience to this position as both an activist and educator. From her years with Sesame Street to her time at Cable Access along with her stints as political organizer for Rep. Jim Mattox, Ms. Clark’s experience is invaluable.

SHILYH WARREN (Assistant Professor of Film Studies, UT Dallas) will present the early history of black women’s filmmaking, beginning with Zora Neale Hurston’s ethnographic films of the late 1920s. Though Hurston is most well known for her literary production, she was also an early pioneer of anthropological filmmaking and the first black woman filmmaker. Black women’s documentary filmmaking would not resurface until the late 1960s with Madeline Anderson’s civil rights films, Integration Report and I Am Somebody. We’ll watch some of these together and discuss the lasting impact of Hurston’s focus on women, spirituality, and the body.

JANELLE ELLIS teaches English Lit at El Centro College. She and Marilyn Clark have worked for decades in support of women in the arts, co-coordinating and curating numerous festivals and film projects, particularly highlighting the voice and art of African Americans. Currently, they are participating in theFair Park Film Forum. featuring the work of women in film as a global dialogue.

Verb Kulture is a perfect word to describe her. She is poetry in motion. Verb was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. She is a performing artist that possesses many talents which include being a Spoken Word Artist, a Slam Champion, Dancer, Musician, Producer, Writer, Host, Motivational Speaker and so much more. She is the founder and CEO of Verb Kulture Ent. This young woman has a gift of bringing people together and reaching an audience. Her dynamic performances grabs your attention and speak to your heart. She is currently the producer of some of the biggest shows in Dallas/Fort Worth area including the Annual Changing Faces Masquerade Ball and the Annual Harlem Renaissance Extravaganza…Verb has been performing for the majority of her life and believes that everyone has a story to tell and the capability of making a difference in the lives of others. This national artist has been seen on many stages and has performed with many Grammy Award winning artists. She was a featured artist on season 3 of Tv One’s Verses and Flow show where she shared the stage with Mary Mary and Vivian Green. Her talents have landed her many great opportunities. When she is not on the stage, you can find her producing empowering shows presented by Verb Kulture Ent. like W.O.W. (Words over Wine), Poetry’s Love Affair with Music, and Beat Street Poetry. She is a true lover of all art forms and provides a platform for all up and coming talent. Verb is currently working on a project to be released this year which will feature and include Grammy Award winning musicians. You can find Verb hitting the stages with her new band “Jus Lyke Muzic” soon. To keep up with this renaissance woman and all of the great works she is creating, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @verbkulture